Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar [Paperback]

Pamela Morsi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2009

Unruly Red knows she's no one's idea of a sweet old granny. But with one long-distance phone call, the fortysomething bar owner with the tattoos and tight jeans is suddenly responsible for two young grandchildren she hardly knows.

Red's rowdy friends, late-night lifestyle and tiny apartment above her San Antonio saloon definitely aren't kidproof. And Red's pretty sure the hot young fiddle player she's been dallying with will run for the hills when he learns she has a daughter, let alone grandkids.

But Red is about to learn that age doesn't necessarily come with wisdom. That a nine-year-old girl can be as exacting as the strictest parent. That the school of hard knocks never had bake sales. And that her boy toy is more of an adult than she is.

Product Details

• Paperback: 355 pages
• Publisher: Mira; Original edition (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778327299
• ISBN-13: 978-0778327295
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #942,259 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

National bestseller, RWA Hall of Fame member and two-time RITA winner, Pamela Morsi began writing in 1990 creating historical romance novels set in the small towns and farms of the early twentieth century. She was an immediate success garnering awards and accolades from reviewers, readers and peers. In 2000, with a new millennium, she decided to move in the direction of mainstream fiction. Her recent works depict the voices of ordinary people overcoming everyday challenges. Librarian Pamela Morsi once asked herself what she would do if she ever won the lottery. She decided, given the chance, that she would spend her time writing fiction. Now, years later, she is still waiting to win the lottery, but THE BENTLEY'S BUY A BUICK is her twenty-third full-length novel. Pam lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and daughter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CAM is mine....all MINE!, August 24, 2009

By 

StoryTraveller - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar (Paperback)

What a wonderful story! It is multi-layered and will tug at your heart strings. The character development is fantastic! I love to read a story where you know that you will remember the characters forever. That is hard to do when you read a lot of books. Often, I pick up a book and realize that I actually read it several years before. Even though I recognize the character's names, I don't really remember them.

I will certainly remember CAM and RED for as long as my memory holds....

I also loved the cupcake scene! Hysterical! Now you have to read it just to know what we are talking about.

I also love how the characters are multi-dimensional. It is satisfying to read a storyline where the characters hang in there with each other instead of misunderstanding and storming off all the time.

The secondary characters are developed very well also. I enjoyed this book so much I almost wanted to be IN a book group just to discuss the various themes running though the story...

I felt like I was there sitting outside on the patio watching the river flow by...while CAM was fiddling away...

Don't miss out...read this one...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Deep in the heart, September 9, 2009

By 

NewDiane "I live to read!" (NYC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar (Paperback)

(What's this?)

If you're a Pamela Morsi fan, you won't want to miss this. If you've never read her work before, like me, you'll be pleasantly on the way to becoming a fan. This is a warm and charming book that holds your attention and has you rooting for the troubled protagonists. If you prefer steamy, explicit sex, though, steer clear. This is a character-driven book in a low-key style, with minimal profanity and nothing that you wouldn't want your teenage daughter or elderly mother to see.

The plot is basic: a very young grandmother (46) who hasn't a motherly bone in her body is called upon to care for her grandchildren while her daughter is overseas. The grandchildren are quick to size her up as Abuela Mala (bad grandmother). Red runs a honky-tonk, and lives in a cramped apartment over the bar. Her stud muffin, Cam, who is only slightly older than her daughter, comes to the rescue: he'll swap his house for her flat so the children can live in comfort and have access to good schooling.

The quirks and coils of the characters flesh out the plot. You know the kids will be won over, that the young boyfriend will prevail over his aging girlfriend, and that there will be resolutions to most of the problems that arise. Where Morsi excels is in making sure that there aren't any perfect solutions, and no guarantees of a happily-ever-after. Instead, you see how the people learn to accept the happy-right-now and live with the uncertain future.

The only flaw in this book is that I never quite "got" just what Cam sees in Red. Until close to the end of the story, she isn't warm, is often insulting, doesn't open up, and basically doesn't seem to offer much to the relationship. Cam always has to make the first move, endure the insults, and keep coming back for more. I found that extremely annoying.

Otherwise, it is a thoroughly enjoyable read, and the characters stay with you long after the last page is turned.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Playing the hand you're dealt -- and playing it well..., July 6, 2009

By 

L. Burns "Bigdog Mom" (New England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar (Paperback)

"Red" Cullens has everything under control. The 46 year old bar owner loves her little honky-tonk in a forgotten part of San Antonio. The night-life lifestyle suits her; her hot young lover doesn't threaten her freedom and her friends (and patrons) know how to join her in having a good time. But one phone call turns her world upside down. In short order Red has to take custody of her two young grandchildren; her "boy toy", Cam, begins to push for a more permanent role in her life and the future of her beloved bar is threatened by plans to renovate her run down neighborhood.

I loved this story! The characters were written with so much depth that I found myself thinking about them long after I had finished the book. While Red and Cam's relationship is central to the story this book touches on many issues - relationships between parents and children; how people can be defined by "class" and upbringing; the illusion of control that so many of us cling to. Very well done; I would highly recommend this book. One slight caution: While it is obvious that Red and Cam enjoy an enthusiastic sex life it is primarily conducted off page. Some readers might be disappointed by that.